Grade 8 Families:
As we approach the conclusion of the school year we would like to take a moment and update everyone on plans for recognizing our Grade 8 students as they move up to the high school.
Algonquin will hold its annual Grade 8 Recognition Day Assembly on the following dates:
- Cohort 1 (Last Names A-K): Tuesday, June 22, 2021 – 9am
- Cohort 2 (Last Names L-Z): Wednesday, June 23, 2021 – 9am
The assemblies will take place outdoors under a large tent on the AMS soccer fields. Each child will be allotted tickets for two family members to attend. Below are more details about the Recognition Day Assembly.
Assembly Overview:
- Students should plan to attend school on our half day schedule on their in-person day listed above, arriving at school via bus or parent drop off for our regular 7:45 a.m. start.
- Please note that all students are invited to attend on their cohort day, including our 100% Virtual Students, who we hope will attend in-person on this special day.
- Students will report to an assigned special, alphabetical Morning Meeting Room in the grade 8 wing that morning.
- We will begin the day celebrating the accomplishments of our Grade 8 students in a 45-minute ceremony where we will have brief remarks from members of our Student Council and a calling of each student’s name, in addition to each student receiving their Grade 8 Moving Up Certificate.
- This program will begin at 9:00 a.m. with students processing to the tents on the school soccer fields from the grade 8 classrooms.
- Students will be seated socially distanced in the tent for the Recognition Day Assembly.
- Thanks to the Algonquin Parent Organization, Lifetouch will be on-hand to take professional individual photos of students with their Grade 8 moving up certificate.
- The APO will provide each family with two complementary 5×7 photos of their child with their Grade 8 certificate.
- Once the assembly has concluded, families are welcome to take photos with their student outside of the school.
- Families may then take their child home for the day after the event.
- Any student needing transportation home after the event will be welcomed to return to the building with their Morning Meeting teacher and can ride the 10:55 a.m. bus later that morning.
- We plan to hold the event under the tent on the soccer fields rain or shine. That means if the forecast for the assembly morning is light rain or drizzle, we will hold the event under the tent. However, if there are thunderstorms or other hazardous weather predicted for the assembly time frame, we would move the event to the AMS Blue Gymnasium. If the event is moved to the gymnasium for safety reasons there will be no live audience for the ceremony and all family members would need to watch the YouTube live stream at home.
Guest Attendee Logistics:
- Due to space constraints and current NYS regulations, families will be limited to two tickets per student.
- Families will also be able to watch our Recognition Day Assembly online via the school YouTube Channel. A link will be provided to families prior to the event. Additionally, the event will be recorded on the YouTube Channel for family members who are unable to attend the program on the day scheduled.
- Families will receive an email with a Google Form link. That email will be sent directly to the “Primary Parent” designated in SchoolTool from parent information submitted on the first day of school.
- The email link to the Google Form will be emailed to the “Primary Parent” on Tuesday, June 1st.
- That link will ask families to provide the names and contact information for the two guest attendees they would like to have at the Grade 8 Recognition Day Assembly.
- Attendees will need to check in at our guest ticket table at the entrance to the assembly tent on the soccer field.
- All guests will need to wear masks while on the school campus.
- At the tent guests will provide their name and will be confirmed that they are on our attendance list. Only those individuals on the guest list will be allowed entrance to the event.
- Once checked in, visitors will receive a wristband indicating that they are permitted access to the tent.
- Families will be allowed entrance to the tent starting at 8:00 a.m. on their child’s assembly day.
- All attendees will need to complete the school district’s visitor health screener form. That form, which is the same form families complete for their child each day, will be emailed to the “Primary Parent” prior to the event.
- Due to space limitations in our tent, NYS capacity limits for events, and the large size of our Grade 8 class, there will be no additional tickets available for families and everyone will be limited to a maximum of two tickets per child.
Plans for this event have been under development for several weeks and are the result of following all of the most up-to-date requirements provided by the NYS Governor’s Office, the NYS Department of Health, and the Rensselaer County Department of Health.
We feel fortunate to be able to provide an in-person audience for our students, which is something that would not have been possible even just a few weeks ago.
Thank you for your continued support of our school and for helping us to make this a fun day for all of our Grade 8 students as they prepare to move on to high school.
Sincerely,
Robert Messia, Principal
Algonquin Middle School